Saturday, 16 November 2013

At the moment I participate in 3 Bees. Two are based at the Quilt Cellar (Quiltkelder) in Putten and one is organized by a quiltmaker nearby.

Here is another Christmas project being quilted.

Looks pretty cool.

This quiltmaker is not camera shy. The other quiltmakers prefer not to see their faces on my blog (too often). So I try to contain myself

A close-up of the block shown above.

A rag quilt in progress. Rag quilts are quilts that have exposed seam allowances on their fronts and finishes.

It is a tedious job, clipping the seams to encourage fraying.

I had to decline!

I seem to have developed a lactose-milk intolerance. I’m also not allowed to eat any cheese, chicken eggs and honey for the next couple of months. It is quite amazing how many products we consume that have milk, cheese, eggs or honey as ingredients. My new diet seems to work, I’m less bloated and my oedema seems to be gone!

A lot of my fellow quiltmakers are becoming grannies. This stitchery quilt is being make for a granddaughter (not yet born).

The wall quilt shown below is nearly completed and you most probably will see it on national TV real soon. In the month of November Dieuwertje Blok will be travelling across the Netherlands to read from The Big Story Book Sinterklaasjournaal. Diewertje Blok is a news reader. Next Saturday at Boekhandel Riemer en Walinga in Ermelo, Dieuwertje Blok will be reading from her book and behind her you will see this wall quilt.

Summer break was a little longer than usual. That doesn’t bother me! Although I sometimes wish it would be spring and summer all the time. All that grey does get a little depressing sometimes. Still, I never get bored as I have so much to do. And with the little spare time I allow myself, I could spend the next 10 years working on my projects and I’m not convinced that they would all be finished. I’ve got enough projects on the go to last me a life time. Actually, I really only need these get-togethers to remind me, that I really need to create more time. I’m convinced my new job will help solve that problem. Did I mention I’m free / off all of the school holidays?

Here are some projects of the other quiltmakers.

Most of you will recognize this project. Yes, this is the Farmer’s Wife Quilt Sampler. You can get the book here, or order it at your local quilt shop. This is on my list of quilts to make in the future

Sabine has a lot of modern art quilts on the go. The inspiration for this project is from a photo. A picture of the beach.

I happen to see this cute little sewing box next to Sabine’s sewing machine. Had to show you!

Another quiltmaker is still in the early phases of making another quilt. At the moment she is contemplating on making a quilt using this design as input.

Lovely fabrics in the picture below! The one in front is from an old Vlisco skirt. Her mother doesn’t wear it anymore, so what does a quilter do, she uses it for her own project. Vlisco is a Dutch company that makes African fabrics. Most of their fabrics are exported to Africa and the States. I love their fabrics but I’m not bold enough to wear it. My alter-ego – the bohemian girl – does.

I’m not the only one who has caught the Christmas bug. This quiltmaker is working on a Anni Down quilt.

That leaves me! I’m still working on this block for my baby Dear Jane in progress.

Jobina de Boer is our interim teacher. To find out more about her, visit her site here. It is always great to meet a new person. It was especially great to share our ‘Houston’-experience.

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Me

the slow quiltmaker

About me

I’m a quiltmaker who in her spare time, of which I never seem to have enough off, tries to find serenity while making quilts. I love everything that has to do with traditional quilting. I've been quilting since 1989, but really got into it from 2006. Aagje Admiraal from the Quiltkelder in Putten has taught me the basics of hand piecing & quilting.

This blog is about the musings from my own life, pondering on the interactions of us in general & my life's journey and trying to understand the unexpected. I love writing down my roving thoughts, but like quilting I don't allow myself this pleasure enough.

I’m starting to appreciate the simplicity of my moments. I’m a rookie at the practice of gratitude. I’m learning that being thankful in everything is more important than being thankful for something. In the practice of gratitude I've found happiness.

I hope you find something on here that makes you smile or ponder. Or both.

Inspirational

"We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with others, and along those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects." Herman Melville

Quote

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”—Marie Curie (1867-1934), chemist, physicist, Nobel Prize winner